THE SOUTHERN PLANTER 



443 



There are two methods pursued at the North. 

 The first is to pack them in barrels, larger or 

 smaller at pleasure, and the other is to put 

 them in glass jars, which are then stopped 

 tight with cork, and over the cork is put a thin 

 sheet of lead as a wrapper. When the barrel 

 is used, a specific charge is made for the barrel 

 in addition to the wholesale price for its con- 

 tents, which specific charge is sufficient to cover 

 the cost of the barrel. New barrels are not 

 so good as those which have been used, unless 

 precaution is had to prevent the pickles from 

 catching the flavour of the wood. Old barrels 

 can be bought in all our cities at moderate 

 prices, so that there is no danger that any farmer 

 will be troubled to get a supply whenever he 

 wishes. Heretofore it was not so easy to pro- 

 cure jars. None were made in the State, and 

 even had our farmers desired to put up pickles 

 for market, they would have been hindered by 

 the necessity of sending North for a supply of 

 jars. This hindrance no longer exists. Mr. 

 Jacob S. Atlee of Richmond, the owner of the 

 Glass Works at Rocketts, in reply to an enqui- 

 ry which we made, writes : " I herewith give 

 you a statement of the prices of pickle jars, 

 from one quart to one gallon, per dozen, viz : 

 Pint 44 cents, quart 63 cents, half-gallon $1 13 

 cents, and gallon $1 63 cents." On this a de- 

 duction of from 10 to 20 per cent is made to 

 wholesale and cash purchasers. This gentle 

 man, who is largely engaged in the manufac- 

 ture of all kinds of glass ware, will supply 

 promptly and faithfully, any and all orders 

 with which he may be favoured. From this | 

 point by railroad, river and canal, these glass' 

 jars can be carried speedily and cheaply to 

 any and all parts of the State, and our farmers 

 are thus shown to be without excuse for longer 

 neglecting the preparation of pickles for sale 

 in the markets. j 



It is proper that we add, that the best sizes! 

 for market are half-gallon, quarts and pints, as ' 

 these command a more ready sale than gal- 1 

 Ions. 



It is usual at the North to pack in these jars 

 various kinds of pickles, in some one kind, in 

 some another, and another will have all kinds-! 

 Thus, one jar shall contain cucumbers, another, 

 onions, another snapps, another beets, another 

 melons, and another will contain cucumbers, 

 onions, snapps, beets, melons, &c, &3., all] 



together. The smaller the pickles are, the 

 better we should say. After all, whether our 

 farmers will adopt the advice which we offer 

 or not, depends upon the question — can money 

 be made by pickling — and that is just the 

 point upon which we are least prepared to 

 make answer. There must be money in it to 

 our friends at the North, else they would give 

 it up instanter, and if they can make money at 

 it, we see no just reason why we cannot. But 

 we propose that each, reader of the Planter 

 shall settle this question for himself and her- 

 self, with the aid of such data as we have been 

 able to collect. 



The pickles purchased at the North are put 

 up in large barrels, in small casks and in jars 

 as before mentioned. The factory price for 

 them is, for gallons per dozen, $9 ; for half gal- 

 lons, $4 50, quarts $3, and pints $1 75. These 

 are the prices which the Virginia dealer has to 

 pay for them in jars at the North, where he 

 buys large quantities, and then there is added 

 to the cost to him, the charges of transporta- 

 tion. Of course the retail price is considera- 

 bly more. When the pickles are packed in 

 barrels they are counted, when put in and sold 

 at so much the hundred. Then the charge is 

 from thirty-seven to seventy-five cents the hun- 

 dred. A large barrel purchased in Baltimore 

 cost $40, and $1 for the barrel, and the addi- 

 tional charge is made for the barrel in every 

 ca?e, 



Then what say you friends — can you afford 

 to make pickles to be supplied to our dealers 

 here at these prices ? Ladies, what have you to 

 say in this matter ? The ladies probably know 

 more of the cost than their husbands do, and 

 we desire to have them interested in this mat- 

 ter. If it savour not too much of old fogyism, 

 we would inquire of our lady readers whether 

 they cannot make money enough from pickles 

 to buy their annual supply of dresses, bonnets 

 and hoops. If they can, they will, beyond all 

 question, for our farmers' wives are, in the 

 general, thrifty and careful. 



There are good and sufficient reasons why 

 these hints and suggestions should not be neg- 

 lected. In addition to those more obvious 

 considerations to which we have referred in 

 this and former articles, there are others even 

 more conclusive. And first we note, that if 

 the advice here given is followed, in addition to 



